Basket for chicken nests



June 27, 1950 o. HILL 2,512,861

BASKET FOR CHICKEN NESTS Filed March 3, 1947 INVENTOR v W m FIG. 2 BY X I mmq ATTORNEYS Patented June 27, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,512,861

- BASKET FOR CHICKEN NESTS' Otto Hill, Margaretvilla Nl Y. Application March 3, 1947, Serial No. 731,989

6 Claims.

This invention relates to nests for'chickens.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved chicken nest that keeps the eggs clean, protects them from breakage, permits immediate cooling of newly laid eggs, and encourages laying. Other features of the invention relate to a construction that facilitates cleaning of the nest and that adapts the invention to use with existing nests regardless of minor variations in the sizes of the nests. l f

'The commonly used chicken nest is-a cubicle approximately 11 inches by 13 inches with a closed back and an-opening inthe front large enough for a chicken to enter easily. Such nests are commonlybuiltin rows and the rows are located one above another with roosts or platforms in front of each row to permit the chickens to reach the individual nests. One popular style of nest is made of sheet metal that has a number of nests built into an integral unit.

Some chicken raisers use battery systems of nests in which each hen is enclosed in a nest or cage having a sloping wire bottom that permits the eggs to roll out of the enclosure. Such battery systems have provision for keeping them clean, but these systems are costly and the expense of a separate, cage nest for every hen in the flock is a prohibitive investment for the average poultry farm.

Another object of this invention i to provide a basket structure that is combined in a conventional chicken nest in such a way as to give the nest the same advantages in cleanliness and egg protection that are obtained with trap nests. Thi invention is used with nests into which hens go directly from the chicken yard with dirt and litter on their feet and the invention keeps the eggs clean by providing a wire mesh nest bottom through which dirt and litter can fall, and by having a slope tothe nest bottom which causes each egg to roll out of the nest into a protected location where it cannot he stepped on by other hens going into the nest.

Eggsmust be cleaned without washing them, and with a flock of a thousand hens, from three to ten hours per day are sometimes required to clean eggs, depending upon conditions of litter in the chicken yard or house, which in turn is influenced by temperature, there being more litter tracked into the nests in winter weather and also when the ground and litter are soft and wet.

It is a feature of the invention that the nest bottom is comfortable and not slippery; and this makes the hens feel safe. Actual'experience has shown that they lay better in nests equipped with this invention. Experience with the invention has shown also that the removal of eggs from There are 'no' eggs remaining inthe nest to arouse the brooding the nest reduces brooding instinct.

Other objects, features and advantages of the broken awayand part of it being shown in section.

Fig. 1 showsa chicken'nest having a solid bottom Ill, and a top I2. The nest has a front wall 14 with an opening l5 large enough for a hen to enter the nest. The lower end of the opening i5 is at a substantial distance above the solid bottom It] in accordance with conventional nest 1 construction.

The nest is closed on the far side by aside wall I1, and is closed on the near side, ahead of the plane of section, by a similar side wall. The

distance between the side walls is approximately 11 inches in commercial nests and the distance from the inside of the front wall M to the inside of the back wall H is approximately 13 inches Commercial nests of this style are commonly made of sheetmetal, but the thickness of thef material of the bottom l0, and the other parts of the nest is exaggerated in the drawing for,

The back of the nest is partially closed by a back wall [8, preferably made clearer illustration.

of wood.

A basket structure 20, preferably made of hard ware cloth, includes a wire mesh bottom 2| and side walls 22 which, in the construction illus-" trated, are turned upedges of the same piece of hardware cloth from which the bottom 2| is constructed. The basket structure 20 has a rearward end 24, preferably a turned up edge of the 7 hardware cloth bottom"2l, and this basket structure is made without any forward end wall, that is, the space between forward ends of the sides 22 is unobstructed.

The bottom '2! is Of one-half inch mesh and, gage 19 wire so that thebottom will be slightly Since this grade of hardward cloth resilient. would bend substantially under the weight of a hen in the nest, and would acquire a permanent I, sag, stiffening elements 26 are placed under the wire mesh bottom 2|, and these stiffening elements are attached to the hardware cloth by tack welding or by tying the hardware cloth to the stiffening elements at spaced regions by tie wires 21. In the preferred construction there are three 5 stiffening elements 26 extending for the full length of the bottom 2| and extending substantially parallel to the sides 22 at regions approximately one quarter and one half way across the bottom ofthe basket structure 20.

These stiffeningelements 26 localiz the bending of the wire mesh bottom 2|, but permit some bending so that the basket structure feels soft to the hen walking around in the nest-.1 Theionehalf inch mesh wire is small enough so that there is no danger that a chickens foot will =get caughti and yet this mesh of hardware cloth provides a, rough bottom on which there is no danger of'slip ping. This feature makes the hen feel safeand promotes better laying. 20

The-forward ends of-- the stiffening elementsrz Zhare bent downward/through "holesin a transversely extending leg of: an angle 30, and the ends ofthe stiffening elements :26. are looped around under the leg of the angle to form 'hooks 31 that prevent the'rstiffening elements 26 from becoming-disconnected :from the angle 3fi.-but at the same time form a hinge connection between theybasket structure. 20 .and the angle;3ll-. The downwardly extending-s leg,.ofthe angle -30 bears against the inside surface of-the front wall lland secured to the. front wall: by bolts or screws 33.

The angle '30.supports the forward endof the asket structure. 2 (lat an: elevation above thesolid bottom. 10 and substantially.flush .with the bottom of the opening I5 through which the hen. enters-themest. Thebasket-structure. is substantiallylongerthan the nest and restsonthe rearward edge of. the. solid bottom,.as.shown in- Fig-qL, In practice it has-beenfound that. a length .of 24 inches for the basket structure 20 is-a. practical siz for-use. with-a standard nesthaving a depth of about 13 inches. The elevation. ofthe forward end of the nest is of theorder of 2- /2 inches. This givesthebottom enough slope to insure rolling. outof theeggs, but-does notcausestheeggstoroll so fast as tobreak.

There ris an opening .36 between the back-walllal'andithe solid bottom. l0 and there are slots 31 extendingupward fromthe opening36'in position to receive .the. sides 22 .i-of. the basket structure.

opening..3'6-and.the .slots 31 permit the basket structure 20'Ito be raised into the dotted line positfon'indicated in Fig. 1 so that a tool can be in'sertedinto the space between the solid bottom land the raised bottom of the basket structure 20'f6r removing dirt andlitter that drops through the. wire mesh bottom 2 l.

Eggs laid in the nest on the sloping. wire mesh bottom 2| roll through the opening 36 \under the back wall [8 andinto the part of. the basket structure 20 which extends beyond the backof the. nest. Two eggs 39 'are shown in Fig.1. By removing the eggs from the nest immediately after they are laid, rapid coolingof eggsis as-.. suredjand this makes the eggs have betterflavor and stay fresh from three to four weeks longer.

The portion of the basket structure 20 which extends beyond the end of the nest is large enough tqQaccommodate a substantialnumber of eggs. so that. even during peak laying periods it isnot'i necessary to gather the eggs-more than once-a dam In nests that are used by a number of hens, and that have noprovisionfor-removing. eggs, it.

is necessary to collect eggs frequently in order to avoid the danger of having some of the eggs broken when there are .a number located in one nest. The back I8 shuts off the view of th eggs from a hen in the nest. It is not possible for a hen to pick at the eggs, and even eggs having soft shells are protected against being broken.

The invention eliminates the use of straw in the nest and thus helps to prevent lice. No straw is necessarybecause the hardware cloth provides a-bottom with sufficient'yield to prevent danger of breakage of eggs and to provide a comfortable resting place for the hen.

The= const ruction of the basket structure 20 with the sides 22 formed by turning up the edges o'fthe hardware cloth has practical advantages because .thereareminor size variations in nests of standard design. As will be apparent from Fig. 2, tha ang-le '30 extends across substantially the entire width of the nest but has suflicient clearance at thev'both ends -to.=provide itolerances fori variations-in the .-nest'. width; The-sides'r22 are bent upward with :aidistance' between them of approxl matel-y. ten and one-half-inchesa 'I'hisim'akesrthe basket fit into. a nest'that'is slightl .'n=anower than the standard; and-the sides- 22 cani be *benti outward -to fit" nests: of eleven-inches -in :width' orslightly; larger. The asides: 22 preferably; extendi upwardfor about two-inches. or further' 'so' that there is no danger that the hen will put=herrfooto between the mesh sides'-'22 and=-the-.solid-sides"ll of ther-nest even though the'sides 22 arenot bent into actual contact with -the solid walls I I fof rthe nest.-- i

The forward ends of -the .-sides --22=-have: arrears warde slope when the basket structure =20 is rim itsenormal position, shown :in -Fig. 1) This slope makes it possible-to swingithetrearward .end-xof i the basket structure I upward without havin'ggtheo .;sides 22 collide with the front wall llr This invention xprovides -awpractical andzzeconomical construction :for removingreggs from a. nest automatically. sothat-the eggs remainzcleanz; and: are protected; against possible-breakage. The

preferred? construction "has been 1 illustratedand described-but .changes'sand modifications car'r be made; and some-features can .bezusedain differentcombinations Withoutdepantin'g frOm the 'in'v'ezrtion as defined in the claims.

I claimrasmydrivention-ic l 1.; The 2 combination: iwlthi a chicken nest hav ingi'sider walls; aaback Wall, and a front- -wall in which there is *ani'opening. through which 'a' h'enmay enter-lthe nest, ofnacnest :basket 'having side walls and ;a wire mesh lbottomj faste'nin'g means that -:.hold the basket in-Zth'emost with the as: ward endeof ItheQbasket adjacent to .therfront' wall of the nest and 'at a level below \the opem ing .throughrthe rfrontkwall; .saidfbasket-"exte'nd w .ing zreatwardly with ac'downward l slope and h'avingalength substantially-greater: than the lengthsof lthe nest'sothatthe-. rear-Wanda end ot' 'theh sloping bottom is beyond the-tbackztw'all: of vthe nest,- the lower end ofnthe =ba-ckmvall terminating .;far enough-above thewbottom of .=the basket to l permit an egg t0-rol1=under l the back'r-wall randrr out of thernest aIOng -ethe slopingbottom; andir, said backs wall havingrnamow' vopcningsnabover the sides of the: basket *with clearance 'above' ther sidesetol-permit: raising: of/ the-rearward end-10f".

the basket I 2. A =chicken nest -construction= comprising .a cubicle-witha solid .bottom, -a back l-wall andi a" front wall having an. opening spaced-above-the zsolid;-bottom--to provide --entrance into *the nestfor a hen, a wire mesh basket having bottom, sides and a back, hinge means connecting the basket to the front wall of the nest with the front edge of the bottom of the basket below the opening through the front wall but at a substantial distance above the solid bottom of the nest, said basket extending rearwardly for a substantial distance beyond the back wall and beyond the solid bottom, and said basket sloping downwardly toward the rear with sufficient incline to cause eggs that are laid in the nest to roll out of the nest and down to the back of the basket, the back wall above the basket extending downward between the sides of the basket but terminating above the bottom of the basket at a distance suflicient to leave clearance for the passage of eggs, and said back wall having narrow openings above the sides of the basket high enough to leave clearance for the basket to be swung about its hinged connection with the front wall and into a raised position that provides access for a cleanin implement into the space between the solid bottom of the nest and the raised bottom of the basket.

3. In a chicken nest including a solid bottom, side walls, a back wall, and a front wall having an opening through which a hen can enter the nest, the combination of a nest basket substantially longer than the nest and having a wire mesh bottom, hinge means connecting the forward end of the wire mesh bottom to the front wall at a region immediately adjacent the lower edge of the opening in the front wall and at a substantial height off the bottom of the nest, the back wall of the nest having an opening through which the nest basket extends, and said opening in the back wall being high enough to leave clearance for the nest basket to be swung upward about its hinge connection with the front wall into a raised position that provides access for a cleaning implement into the space between the wire mesh bottom and. the solid bottom of the nest.

4. In a chicken nest including a solid bottom, side walls, a back wall, and a front wall having an opening through which a hen can enter the nest, the combination of a nest basket substantially longer than the nest and extending through an opening in the back wall of the nest, said basket having a wire mesh bottom and means supporting its forward end at a distance from the bottom of the nest, and with the bottom of the nest basket sloping downwardly toward the rear, but the nest basket free to swing about its forward end support to move the entire bottom of the nest basket away from the solid bottom of the nest, the back wall of the nest having an opening through which the nest basket extends, said opening in the back wall being high enough to leave clearance for the nest basket to be moved into a raised position that provides access for a cleaning implement into the space between the bottom of the basket and the solid bottom of the nest.

5. A wire mesh chicken basket comprising a bottom, sides formed from turned-up portions of the bottom, a back similarly formed by a turned-up portion of the bottom, stiffening elements extending lengthwise of the bottom intermediate the sides of the basket and in contact with the wire mesh bottom of the basket for localizing bending of the wire mesh when a hen is in the nest, angle means at the forward end of the nest basket, said angle means being connected with the basket by hinged connections with the forward ends of the stiffening elements, and said angle means having a downwardly extending portion with a face that contacts with the inside surface of a front wall of a nest for connection with the front wall of the nest in which the wire mesh basket is to be used.

6. A chicken nest bottom and support for connection with chicken nests having a bottom and a front wall with an opening through which a hen enters the nest, including in combination, a wire mesh basket made of hardware cloth and having a bottom and upstanding sides formed by bending up the side portions of the bottom, said basket having also a back similarly formed by turning up the rearward edge portion of the bottom, stiffening wires extending lengthwise of the bottom and at least some of which are located between the sides of the basket in position to localize the bending of hardware cloth when a hen is in the nest, an angle section extending across substantially the full width of the front end of the basket, said angle section having a horizontally extending leg with openings therein at spaced regions for receiving downwardly extending front ends of the stiffening elements, and said angle section having a downwardly extending leg with openings therein for receiving fastening members that bolt the angle to the front wall of the chicken nest, the downwardly extending front ends of the stiffening elements being looped around the horizontal leg of the angle section far enough to secure the basket to the angle while leaving the basket free to swing about the angle section as a hinge.

OTTO HILL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

